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Among the homes targeted was that of Amanda Brodie, with police arresting her son because he was wanted on warrant.

He was later released pending further enquiries.

Today, Amanda told The ECHO of her frustration at finding out her home had been raided - and revealed the front door police smashed through was actually unlocked.

Shaun Walmsley

The mum-of-four said: “I’m scared now, I want to move because the house has been put all over the news. I fear it may make us a target.

“He is wrongly accused. There’s always something going on in this street but I’m embarrassed. If they would have knocked on the door they would have opened it, my son was shouting that to them. We are on edge in here now, waiting in case police come through the door again or someone else does.”

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Amanda was at work when the raid took place, but other family members were inside.

Describing the moment police burst through the door Hollie McCarten, the girlfriend of Ryan’s brother, said: “Our baby had just woken up for the bottle and Ryan’s brother had gone down to make it.

“We were drifting back off and heard this whizzing.

“I jumped up and my partner said ‘the door’s being whizzed’.

“They didn’t make us aware of their presence before they did it - the door was open, they could have just walked in. We were scared, the baby was crying. We didn’t know it was the police until they all came in and they were like ‘police, nobody move’.”

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Hollie said those in the house were kept in a room while police searched through the property.

Ryan’s partner - pregnant Kelsea Snowdon, 24, - also criticised the police, saying: “I just think it’s unfair, the way the police are trying to make themselves look good, it’s not right. If they are clamping down they are clamping down on the wrong people. His life is his children [the couple’s toddler and their unborn baby]. He dotes on them and I couldn’t fault him as a dad. I really think it was so unfair for him to be labelled as that, yesterday. It’s not true.”

Agreeing, Amanda added: “He’s got nothing to do with it, they have done this for no reason - they should have more proof if they are going to come through someone’s door. He’s known to the police but not for anything serious like this. He’s quiet, and he’s been quiet since [the raid].

“He said he was embarrassed. We wouldn’t mind if it was true but it’s humiliated our family... he’s done stupid things but he’s older now. He’s got a baby and a girlfriend and he wants to settle down and all the police keep doing is harassing him.”

Merseyside Police charged two people following Thursday’s operation, which was “targeting individuals believed to be involved in serious organised crime with links to escaped prison fugitive Shaun Walmsley”.

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They also seized cash and scrambler bikes - as well as mobile phones as searches of Walton prison cells were carried out.

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “A 26-year-old man from Vauxhall was arrested on warrant in connection with burglary offences, and as part of activities carried out yesterday, 10 August.

“He has been released under investigation and our enquiries continue.”

Walmsley, sentenced to life over the murder of Anthony Duffy in 2014, was sprung from prison guards outside Aintree Hospital in February. A £20,000 reward is on offer for information leading to his capture.